


Sirens

by orphan_account



Category: The Society (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Grizzam, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mpreg, Post-Canon, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-06-26 00:04:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19756495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: This couldn’t be happening. Not now, not here. Grizz glanced back down at the test in his hand, desperately wishing the result had changed in the second he looked away. Still Positive. Gareth Visser was pregnant.*ON HOLD*





	1. Chapter One

Returning to New Ham was nothing like Grizz had expected. A society that had been fully functioning under Allie Pressman’s rule was now a mob determined to take her down and destroy her. The first thing Grizz noticed was the blood. It was clear that the guard now had more control… Had they beat her like they did Dewey? These were no longer the friends he once knew. Glancing around briefly, Grizz spotted who he assumed had caused the mess. Campbell Elliot was stood in the background, smiling with satisfaction as his cousin was torn apart by the citizens of New Ham.

Forcefully, the guard took Allie and Will, shoving them back into the car. The crowd quickly dispersed, mumbling their distrust for Allie and Will. Surveying the dwindling group of citizens, Grizz locked eyes with Kelly who nodded pointedly in the direction of Grizz’s home. She wanted to talk and this was the perfect time to do it. With the guard and new mayors preoccupied with Allie and Will, Grizz and the explorers made their way to the Visser house ready to be filled in on what the hell had happened here.

* * *

When Kelly finished talking there was nothing but silence. Tears ran down Grizz’s face. These people, his friends and classmates, had become individuals he no longer knew. The anger and resentment they held for Allie and Will made their once homely faces now unrecognisable.

“There is a group of us who don’t believe what Harry and Lexie are saying. You know they aren’t really the ones in control. We are going to make this right but we will need all the help we can get. I have a plan to fix things and it’s going to be risky, but we need to do this. For Allie and Will. For Cassandra. For Eden.”

The desperation in Kelly’s voice was clear as day, her bravery growing with every word. She couldn’t sit back and do nothing, not anymore. The explorers glanced around at each other in silent agreement, they knew she was right. Gwen gestured to Grizz encouraging him to speak for the group.

“We’re in, Kelly. Whatever it takes. We found the things we need in order to survive but none of that matters if the wrong people are in charge. Tell us your plan, we’re all in.”

Once the planning was over, Grizz was alone. He sat in his living room, clearly on edge, imagining the moments he spent with his family, wishing he was with them. Loneliness was a feeling Grizz never coped well with. The emptiness of his home sent chills through his bones. A wave of nausea washed over him. He was going to be sick. Hurriedly, Grizz made his way to the bathroom banging his knees on the ground as he knelt over the toilet. This wasn’t the first time in that last few days that he had been physically ill. Several times during the expedition, he had to duck into the trees unable to prevent the sickness from taking over. What the hell was wrong with him?

Once the queasiness had passed, Grizz forced himself up off the cold tiles towards the medicine cabinet. _There must be something in here to help_ , he thought to himself as he threw empty bottles of pills out of the way. At the very back of cupboard sat a single box, the sight of which created a feeling of fear inside Grizz like nothing else. Inside was a pregnancy test. “Oh god” Grizz mumbled out loud as he considered his symptoms. Questions formed a hurricane in his mind… _What if I’m pregnant? Should I tell Sam? Will I be a good parent? How will I help Kelly if I’m busy with a baby?_ Grizz stopped himself suddenly as the spiral began to hit a point of no return. These were questions he needn’t bother stressing about until he had taken the test. That was the priority right now.

The minutes sat waiting for the results seemed long and unending. Nerves shook Grizz’s entire body, tears collecting in his eyes as he thought about Sam. The boy he loved was already a father, he couldn’t burden him with another child. Their relationship was new and fragile, he wasn’t even sure if Sam wanted him that way now that Becca’s baby had been born. Keeping that part of himself hidden for so long had caused Grizz to believe that he could never have what he so desperately wanted. Love. Grizz could picture Sam sat on his bed smiling slightly as they leaned into their first kiss. It was a moment he thought about a lot while exploring the woods. There was no doubt in Grizz’s mind that what he shared with Sam that night was the only time he felt truly himself. He felt free. But that freedom didn’t last, it never could in this new world they found themselves in. The timer on Grizz’s phone blared like a warning, reminding him of the situation at hand. He took a deep breath and looked towards the test, heart beating louder than it ever had.

_Positive._

This couldn’t be happening. Not now, not here. Grizz glanced back down at the test in his hand, desperately wishing the result had changed in the second he looked away. Still Positive. Gareth Visser was pregnant.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelly addressed the group making eye contact with each person to ensure the message was clear. Her gaze lingered a little longer on Grizz and as he went to leave she pulled his aside. She wanted to talk. Alone.

It had been three days since the explorers returned and Kelly’s rescue plan was in motion. The Allie supporters all sat around Becca’s living room, updating each other on their respective parts of the mission and it seemed that everything was going as intended. But there was one unmentioned thing that was worrying Grizz. No word had been given on Allie and Will’s trial. He hoped for justice and their quick release. Allie had worked too hard to pick up the pieces her sister left behind and there was no doubt in the boy’s mind that Cassandra would be incredibly proud. His thoughts of the Pressman Women were interrupted as Kelly swiftly called the meeting to an end, clearly concerned about being caught. “If anyone asks, you were all here visiting Eden. We will meet up again at the same time in 5 days. Be careful” Kelly addressed the group making eye contact with each person to ensure the message was clear. Her gaze lingered a little longer on Grizz and as he went to leave, hoping to avoid Sam on his way out. She pulled him aside. She wanted to talk. Alone.

* * *

Once safely inside his bedroom, Kelly and Grizz visibly relaxed. Both were believed to be on Allie and Will’s side and the town’s citizens hadn’t taken kindly to this fact. Threats of violence and terror circulated. No one was safe outside if they didn’t support the new leadership. “I guess everyone’s preoccupied with letting the town fall apart… it’s probably a good thing. At least they weren’t waiting to attack us.” Kelly mumbled, trying to bring ease to the tense situation. “So what did you want to talk about” Grizz commented, desperate to change the topic.

“I need you to do something for me, for the plan actually. It’s a big ask so I didn’t want to put you on the spot in front of everyone…” Kelly’s hesitance to finish her request petrified Grizz.

“What is it? How risky?”

“I think we need someone on the inside. Helena doesn’t want to betray Luke’s trust even though she thinks Allie deserves to be in charge. So she’s out of the question. Maybe you could try getting back on good terms with the guard… be our inside man. We will have to keep it a secret, the more people that know, the higher the risk of getting caught. This will have to stay between us. I’ll tell the others that Luke, Clarke and Jason are still your friends and that you trust them enough to side with Harry and Lexie.”

“No ones going to believe that!”

“Then we need to find another way to get you in, you’re our only hope Grizz.” Before Grizz could respond, his phone pinged. It was a text… from Lexie!

“It’s Lexie, she wants to meet with me to discuss the land we found.”

“That’s perfect, Grizz! That’s your way in. They need you as much as we do.”

“Okay. I’ll do what a can and I’ll call you after the meeting, let you know what happened.” Kelly nodded gratefully as Grizz grabbed his jacket, heading back out into the cold. She was just about to leave too when she something caught her eye. There, on the bathroom counter was a pregnancy test. The result was clear. No wonder Grizz had been so reluctant to put himself in danger… he was having a baby.

* * *

Arriving at the church, Grizz inhaled deeply. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to see his old friends again. They were no longer the people he once knew. They were power-hungry manipulators and liars, not the team he used to rely on. He held his head high, ready for questions and glares of betrayal, and made his way into the main hall. Lexie wasn’t anywhere to be seen, neither was Harry. There, in the the middle of the room stood Campbell Eliot. A satisfied smirk crept its way to the man’s face, knowing he had taken Grizz by surprise. “Nice to see you Grizz. I’m so glad you got my text… well, Lexie’s text. We need to talk.” Turning to leave, Grizz became aware that all paths of escape were blocked, not by locks or chains but by Luke, Clarke and Jason. In that moment all Grizz could feel was fear. This was not going to end well for him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think xxx


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guard take on Grizz and Kelly’s bravery begins to shatter.

Why is it that in a moment of fear you become frozen? Grizz knew he needed to run, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. So, he stood stuck to the spot as his former friends inched closer. “What do you want Campbell?” Grizz attempted to keep his voice from wavering as he spoke. “If this is about the land we found then I will be happy to talk to Lexie and Harry, there’s no need for the theatrics.”

“Here’s the problem Grizz…” Campbell responded maintaining his intimidating stance as he spoke. “You are the only one who really knows what they’re doing when it comes to farming, so I guess you could say we need you. The trouble is that Lexie, Harry and anyone with some common sense knows that you can’t be trusted. You are team Allie, you’ve made that pretty clear.” Suddenly hands came up behind Grizz and put him in a headlock. Jason and Clark made sure Grizz couldn’t escape their grasp as Luke stood back watching the situation unfold. Before Grizz could protest, a laugh echoed through the church hall, bouncing of the walls, taunting him. “You chose the wrong side Grizz. I personally want to make you suffer but apparently that might cause some problems… so here is what’s going to happen. You are working for us now. Luke, Clark and Jason will be watching you 24/7 to make sure you aren’t talking to the enemies. When you are needed they will escort you to Lexie and Harry. Jason, do you want to show Grizz what will happen if he steps out of line?” The arm around Grizz’s neck tightened. Black dots began to appear in his vision and his breathing became heavy. Just as consciousnesses began to leave him, he was released from the death grip and dropped to the floor. “He won’t let go next time. Remember that!” With those final words, Campbell retreated signalling to the Guard who quickly grabbed Grizz and took him to his new home.

The first shift was given to Luke. The two ex-friends sat in silence, refusing to make eye contact with one another. Neither wanted to be the first to break. Minutes became hours and then came a knock at the door. Elle cautiously entered the room holding two trays of food, smiling politely to Luke. “Dinners ready, I hope it’s okay, there’s not much left to chose from. Clark will be up soon, he wants to finish eating first then he will take his shift.” Nodding goodbye, the blonde left the men to once again drown in the silence. As soon as she had disappeared from sight and the door had securely shut, Grizz rushed to the en-suite bathroom. The smell of food had turned his stomach the moment it reached his senses. The explorer used all the strength he had to hold the sickness back, desperate not to offend Elle. He knew she had worked hard, but the hormones taking over his body didn’t agree. Gently, he laid a hand on his stomach, Luke watching curiously from behind him. This was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

It had been 6 hours since Kelly had heard from Grizz and she could no longer hold in the panic. There was only one person she wanted to talk to and that was Becca. Knowing Becca had too many responsibilities with the baby, Kelly put off going to her for help until she was sure something had gone wrong. Tapping lightly on the front door, the young woman shifted from foot to foot, nerves mixing with stress and refusing to let her body stand still. It was Sam who opened the door.

“Hey Sam, is Becca busy I kinda need to talk to her.” The boy smiled tiredly in response, the late nights of being a new parent clearly having begun to affect him. He called for Becca and gestured towards the living room, inviting Kelly in.

“Kelly!” Becca whisper-yelled as she sprinted silently towards her the woman who had delivered her daughter. The new mother, studied her friends face and concern bubbled within her. “What’s wrong, what’s going on?”

“I’m worried about Grizz. Lexie asked to speak to him hours ago and no one has heard from or seen him since! He’s not answering his phone and he didn’t show up for dinner either. I checked the garden and his house… I can’t find him anywhere.” Kelly was unable to hold back the tears as she finished speaking. They no longer had Allie and Will, the group couldn’t lose Grizz too.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find him.” Becca replied calmly, hoping to relieve some of Kelly’s stress. She knew she had to take charge, Kelly was obviously too upset to think logically right now.“Sam, you text everyone. Tell them to come here. It’ll be easier to find him with all of us looking.” Kelly turned to look at Sam as he hurriedly typed the message to the few people they could trust. He had tears openly streaming down his face, hitting his fingers and he shakily tapped his phone. _Since when were Sam and Grizz so close_ , Kelly thought to herself. Then it all clicked. _Were Sam and Grizz dating?_

* * *

The sun had gone down and the town of New Ham was silent, most people to scared to leave the safety of their homes during the darkness. Two people made their way towards the edge of the town, both dressed all in black. They didn’t want to be seen. Glancing around, checking they were alone, the pair sat down pulling supplies from their heavy coats. Laid out in front of them was a detailed plan. _**Saving New Ham**_ was written boldly across the top of the page. Campbell wasn’t going to get away with this, and these two unknown conspirators were going to make sure of it...


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elle comes to the rescue and the truth comes out.

Every night at exactly 12, Elle Tomkins would slowly sneak out the door of her home. Making sure the entire house was sound asleep first, she would gather supplies and make her way to the edge of town. There she would meet Harry. The new mayor always arrived before her. It was easier for him as he didn’t sleep next do a controlling and power-hungry psychopath intent on watching his every move. No one but them knew about their plans to save New Ham from Campbell. It was necessary that they kept there meetings a secret, with Campbell watching them constantly, it was difficult to help Allie and Will. So, the pair had resorted to nightly meetings, far away from possible eavesdropping, in order to fix what had been broken by the the election. Harry was the first to break the silence. Glancing briefly at the list of ideas from the previous nights meeting.

“Campbell used Lexie’s phone, that’s how they managed to corner Grizz. She didn’t know about it and now I think she’s close to breaking. It won’t take much to get her to tell the truth, especially now that the guard used her to get to Grizz. We have his phone but that isn’t much help, if anything it just proves to everyone that Lexie texted him. We need to find a way to get Lexie to crack in front of everyone at the town meeting tomorrow... any ideas?” Elle pondered for a second. She had one idea but it would take some persuading for it to work.

”I know someone who could help us. You get everyone to the meeting and I’ll do the rest. I think I know what to do...”

* * *

The following morning, the town gathered in the church having been summoned by Lexie and Harry. Mumbling was the only thing that could be heard as the citizens gossiped about the reason for Grizz’s disappearance. Kelly, Becca and Sam had spread the word like wildfire and the entire town knew he was ‘missing’. In a small town like New Ham, rumours spread quickly. Some claimed Grizz had fled, choosing to live on the new land by himself, others accused the boy of a variety of crimes leading to his inevitable arrest and some accused the Mayors of holding him hostage due to his support for Allie. They all sat on the edge of their seats as Lexie took a step forward. Who was right? Where was Grizz? Were they about to find out? Lexie cleared her throat to ensure she had the rooms full attention, but she kept her eyes down as she spoke.”

“Thank you all for coming today. We know that some things are being said about Grizz’s whereabouts and we are here to clear everything up. Yesterday, I asked Grizz to come and discuss the land found by the explorers. When he turned up he refused to give us any information unless Allie and Will were released.” Mutters of disbelief circled the room, “I’m sure you all know that Grizz is very valuable to us so until he cooperates he will remain in the custody of the guard and…” Before she could finish her sentence, Lexie was interrupted by the sound of the church doors being swung open with great force. Helena had arrived. It was unusual for the religious woman to be so late, but what confused everyone more was the look of anger and disgust that covered her face. She walked right up to Lexie and began to speak.

“Show me your phone. NOW!” The mayor handed her phone over, visibly intimidated by the sternest of Helena’s voice. “You texted him at 1pm. But you were in the café with your friends at that time yesterday. I know because I was there, I saw you there. You can’t be in two places at once! Tell us the truth Lexie. WHY DID YOU ARREST GRIZZ?” For the first time in a while, Lexie had nothing to say. She turned to Harry looking for help, all he did in response was shrug. “Did you really meet with Grizz yesterday? It’s a pretty simple question, Lexie.” The crowd grew restless, beginning to question the faith they had put in their new leaders. Helena wasn’t going to back down and everyone knew it. Just as the woman began to reach the end of her patience, Lexie muttered three words that changed everything… “Campbell did this.” The truth couldn’t be held in any longer and she spilled everything she knew “I wasn’t lying about needing Grizz but I wasn’t the one who texted him. Campbell used my phone to lure him here and then had the guard arrest him. He’s been locked in a room at Harry’s ever since.” After that everything became a blur. People began to riot. They had been lied to, their new mayors appeared no different to the one they replaced. Fights broke out and punches were thrown. No one knew who to trust. Fear became the only thing controlling the citizens of New Ham. A single gunshot echoed through the church, and everyone froze. Turning towards the sound of the gun, what they all saw brought them both shock and relied. Allie stood atop a table, aiming a gun at the ceiling. On her left was Will, on her right was Grizz. They were free and ready to make things right.

When the had meeting begun, Elle let herself in to Harry’s home and ran to where she knew the prisoners were being held. First she freed Allie and Will. The grateful looks on their faces confirmed to the girl that she had done the right thing. These were the mayors that New Ham needed. Then she ran to the room next door and released Grizz, smiling gently at the exhausted young man. Quickly she ushered them out of the house, explaining the situation to them as they ran towards the church. Following Elle’s instructions, the three fugitives hid behind the building awaiting a signal and, when the moment came, they rushed in prepared to be fought as they took control once again.

“What have we become?” Allie asked as she looked around the room, capturing the attention of everyone inside. “I know you don’t trust me. But none of us will survive if we live like this. When I was in charge at least we had stability! Don’t you want that back! How are we supposed to find a way home if we are to busy fighting each other? We need to draw a line and start again, figure out a way to live without turning on one another. The only way this will work is if you are all in, there’s no doing this half heartedly. Go home, clean up and tomorrow we will meet back here and decide how we want to live.”

Though not everyone trusted Allie, it was clear that is the past few minutes she had regained their respect enough for them to listen to her instructions. Slowly, people left the church, heads hanging low with shame. One person walked in the opposite direction, coming further into the religious building. It was Kelly. She looked curiously at Grizz, quietly requesting they talk in private. He followed without question. She needed answers and she was going to get them now. What she didn’t notice was the shadow following them. What Kelly and Grizz thought was going to be a private conversation was going to be heard by the last person they trusted right now... Campbell.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out.

Kelly knew this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation. She shouldn’t have seen the pregnancy test but she also couldn’t allow Grizz to go through this alone. After Allie calmed the town down and Grizz had been released, Kelly made a beeline for the explorer. “Hey Grizz! I’m so glad you’re okay” she said as she forced him into a hug. “We were so worried about you. Uhm… I actually kinda need to talk to you… in private if you don’t mind.” Confusion spread across Grizz’s face, _what on earth could Kelly be so nervous about discussing?_ The two slowly moved to the back of the church and into a small empty room. They sat on the chairs and stared at each other, Grizz scared of what was going to be said and Kelly unsure of how to approach the subject. “So before I say anything, I want you to know that I’m here for you, you won’t have to go through this alone… I saw the pregnancy test back at your home.” She looked down in shame, furious at herself for becoming involved in someone else’s business without permission.

Grizz’s face was white. He didn’t know what to say, he couldn’t even think straight. No one was supposed to know, not yet. Tears filled his eyes rapidly. When no one knew pm it was almost as if it wasn’t real but now, this was reality. He was really having a baby. “I don’t know what to do” he choked out between heavy sobs. In the blink of an eye, Kelly was up and sat next to him, wrapping him in a hug that reminded him of those his mother used to give. He wondered how she would feel if she were here. Would she be excited to become a Grandmother, or be disappointed in Grizz for being so careless? Before he could get too lost in his darkening thouhts, Kelly pulled his chin towards her, looking deeply into his eyes. “I meant what I said, Grizz. You’re not gonna be alone, I promise… Do you think you can tell me who the father is?” The boy took a deep breathe and replied, “it’s Sam’s.” It was a relief, to finally have someone know the truth. Grizz wasn’t alone anymore.

What neither Grizz nor Kelly knew, was that their ‘private conversation’ had been overheard by someone with an intense need for chaos and destruction... and that person was making their way to drop the bombshell on Sam.

* * *

Sam and Becca were relaxing on the sofa watching Parks and Rec while Eden napped, when a knock at the door came to their attention. Sam, knowing Becca was exhausted from lack of sleep, offered to answer, a decision which he would soon regret. Stood on the other side of the door was Campbell. The smile on his face sent chills down Sam’s spine… he knew that smile and it usually meant something bad was about to happen. Despite his fear of his brother, Sam stood his ground, blocking Campbell from entering the house and coming anywhere near Eden. He would do anything to protect her. “What do you want?” he said as powerfully as he could.

“Well Sam, I came across some very interesting information you might want to know.”

“I don’t care Campbell, just go!”

“You’re boyfriend, Grizz, is pregnant.” Campbell winked at Sam menacingly, knowing the impact his statement had on his brother and walked away. Sam couldn’t breathe but he wasn’t sure what scared him more… Grizz being pregnant or Campbell knowing about their relationship? But, before he could ponder that though, he had another problem to deal with. Becca had overheard everything.

“What is he talking about Sam?” She question, signing along with her hands shaking in anger. “You… you have a boyfriend. What happened to being all in! You promised me! We were supposed to be a family… HOW COULD YOU!” Sam had never seen his best friend so angry before. He was terrified that this was going to be the true end to their friendship. The boy couldn’t abandon her but he didn’t want to leave Grizz to go through this alone either. So, he fought for them both.

Sam and Becca spent hours arguing. Neither one backing down. Old arguments and petty fights were brought back and used as leverage. Unfortunately for Sam, the fight ended with him being kicked out of the house and banished from Becca and Eden’s lives. In that moment, he was more lost than ever before. So he went to the only person he wanted to talk to, the only person who could make him feel loved just with their presence… Grizz.

* * *

When the long walk reached its end at Grizz’s door, Sam had thoroughly planned out what he was going to say to the man who was carrying his child. At least he thought he did, until Grizz opened the door, eyes puffy and red from crying. On instinct, both boys launched themselves into the other’s arms. Whatever was going on between them, didn’t matter in those few seconds. They forgot about the lies that had torn them apart and just enjoyed being with each other once again.

Kelly watched the moment from the couch, she could feel the love between the boys and though she was happy for them, deep down she was jealous. She wanted what they had, a love that couldn’t be stopped. Had you asked he months ago, she would have told you she had that love with Harry... she would’ve been wrong with that answer. Finding someone difficult in the real world, but here, in this messed up alternate universe, it seemed near impossible for everyone but the boys hugging in the corner of her eye.

After what seemed like hours but was actually minutes, Sam and Grizz pulled apart making their way towards Kelly. The three of them suddenly became very awkward, no one knew what to say and to whom. When the silence finally broke, Sam began pouring his heart out, refusing to lie to Grizz anymore and Grizz then did the same. With the truth now out in the open, the loved-up teens held each other, tears flowing freely. Kelly’s heart broke for them. Being in this weird universe was hard enough, add in pregnancies, love affairs and Campbell and things reached a new level of trying. She knew what she had to do. Kelly was going to do anything she could to help them and that meant talking to Becca.

* * *

On the other side of town, Campbell and the Guard were sat around a bonfire passing a joint between the . They were angry. Their power had been questioned and taken away, Allie was back in charge and their plan had failed. _This couldn’t get any worse_ , Luke thought to himself watching the orange flames dance through the smoke. Within seconds, he would realise just how wrong that statement was. Campbell’s voice was as aggressive as the heat from the flames as he addressed the disgruntled group…

“Guess what I found out today! Your boy, Grizz… he’s gay and sleeping with my brother! Oh… and he’s knocked up.” To say the members of the Guard were shocked would be an incredible understatment. Grizz had lied to them and didn’t trust them enough to confide in them his biggest secret. Unsure as to whether to feel angry or hurt, the three boys continued drinking hoping to find the answers to all their questions at the bottom of a beer can. Meanwhile, Campbell sat back studying their expressions with a single thought in his mind, _things were about to get a lot more interesting!_


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The town tries to repair what has been broken.

It was 7am in New Ham. The sun had risen and the town’s citizens were still resting, recovering from the previous days events. While they slept, Allie Pressman gathered those she trusted most to discuss the towns future, stood around her kitchen island were Grizz, Gwen, Sam, Kelly, Gordie, and Will. Fixing the towns current situation would be a struggle but it was necessary and it was gonna take a hell of a lot of work. The damage done by Lexie and Harry could be seen everywhere. The streets were a mess, the people were scared and supplies were diminishing fast. Why was nothing in this town ever easy?

Before they could begin carefully planning, Grizz had something he needed to say. Sharing his personal wasn’t something he did easily. His had hidden himself for so long he wasn’t sure he knew how to openly be himself anymore. Looking towards Sam for support, he calmed his breath and prepared to finally be free, “uhm so… uh I have something I need to say to all of you… uhm I uh..”

“Grizz? What’s wrong?” Gwen questioned, clearly concerned for the man she had grown to respect. Everyone looked at him, worry in their eyes having noticed his nerves, except Kelly who knew exactly what this was about.

“No, nothing’s wrong. Uhm… I’m gay and Sam and I are together. Also I’m pregnant… so yeah.” He words were so rushed it was nearly impossible to decipher what he had said. But once they had realised what Grizz had declared, the room was flooded with love, pride and smiles of support as New Ham’s saviours embraced the young couple. The reaction was better than Grizz could’ve ever imagined. He chuckled quietly to himself, tears of joy rolling down his cheeks. “That went well” he remarked, glancing lovingly at Sam, overwhelmed with support.

Allie felt a happiness she hadn’t experienced in years. She was so pleased for her friends, they truly deserved to be happy and it didn’t take a genius to see that the pair were made for each other. As much as she hated being a downer, it was time to focus on what they had all gathered to discuss. “I love you guys and I am so happy for you. But... we need to get to work.” Everyone agreed, Grizz and Sam undeniably glad when the room’s attention turned to Allie. The town was waiting for a solution...

* * *

3 hours of hard work and intense discussions later, Allie was ready to address the town. Texts were sent to every citizen, requesting they attend an urgent meeting at the Church Hall. And now here they all were. Grizz, Kelly and Will stood upfront with Allie, ready to answer any questions their leader couldn’t answer (as good a leader as she was, the younger Pressman was no expert when it came to farming, medicine or cooking). Grizz surveyed the hall, looking for Becca. He desperately needed to fix things with the new mum, for Sam and Eden’s sake. When he spotted her, he became instantly enamoured with the tiny smile on baby Eden’s face as she napped peacefully in her mother’s arm. Becca and Grizz made eye contact, both unsure how to feel towards the other. As angry as Grizz was at her for the way she treated Sam, deep down he knew she didn’t mean what she said, she was scared and alone, he couldn’t blame her for that. So he attempted to smile respectfully at her, hoping to relax her fears as much as he could from a few meters away. Becca looked away.

“Hi guys…” Allie started speaking, disrupting Grizz’s thoughts. “I know a lot of you don’t trust me, but we aren’t going to get anywhere if we don’t at least try to understand each other. The accusations made about the election were all a matter of ‘he said she said’, and if we allow ourselves to descend into chaos over one persons words, we won’t survive for much longer. So here’s what I think we should do. Firstly, we will return to the job system we had before the election and rations will be given only to those who cooperate fully and pull their weight. Secondly, we are going to elect a council. The council will be made up of people you all choose to represent you. I won’t be able to make any decisions without their full agreement. A sign up sheet will be placed up later today. Hopefully this will help with the communication issues we’ve had. Thirdly, along with a council, there will be select individuals in charge of running certain things in the town. For example, Kelly will be in charge of Medicine and Grizz will be in charge of farming. Another list will be posted so you know who is in charge of what. Lastly, we are going to wipe the slate clean. Whatever has happened in the past will be forgiven. We have a chance to start again without having done too much damage… I don’t know if we will get this chance again so we need to make use of it. If you have any questions please raise your hand and I promise I will do my best to answer them.”

Slowly but surely, Allie tackled every question thrown her way. People tried to trip her up, make her show weakness but she stood strong knowing just how important this was. It seemed that the relentless onslaught of questions was beginning to decline, and just as she went to dismiss the crowd, one voice echoed across the room. “Why should we trust the people you’ve put in charge?” Campbell asked, venom in his voice, and everyone visibly tensed. For the first time today, Allie stuttered, clearly at a loss for words. 

“Well? Mayor Pressman, why the hell should we trust these people. Maybe you’ve just chosen them because you know they’ll do whatever you want. Or maybe it’s because they’ve convinced you they know what they’re doing. I know for a fact that Grizz is a liar! So why the hell should we trust him with something as important as farming?” To say Grizz began to panic would be an understatement. His face was drained of all colour, he knew what was about to happen and he was helpless to stop it. “Grizz is a fag! He’s sleeping with my brother! How many of the people in here did he lie to? Oh right, all of you. He lied to all of you. Everything you thought you knew about him was complete bullshit! We can’t trust him and he definitely can’t help us much given his current state. He’s pregnant for gods sake!”

No one spoke, you could hear a pin drop from miles away. There were very few people who weren’t scared of Campbell, which meant there was no one to stand up for Grizz as he stood shaking from head to toe. He glanced towards the Guard, praying his best friends would jump to his defence. They didn’t. In fact they did the complete opposite, all standing close by Campbell nodding in agreement. Usually Grizz wasn’t ashamed to cry but in this moment he feared showing the slightest amount of weakness in front of people who were determined to hurt him. The joy he felt this morning was gone, replaced by a pain he spent his entire life dreading.

What happened next couldn’t have been predicted by anyone. Harry stood tall and turned towards Campbell, “Shut up Campbell.” Everyone’s jaws dropped to the floor, mere days ago Harry had seemed incapable of forming his own thoughts yet, here he was standing up for someone in a moment of need. This was who Kelly saw, the person she first fell in love with. He wasn’t done yet though, “What gives you the right to say shit like that? We get it, okay. You’re plan for power failed so you’re doing whatever you can to prove yourself and tear this place apart. You are pathetic! Grizz has done more for all of us than you ever will so sit down, shut up and quit making everyone’s lives hell!” The crowd erupted, cheering on their former mayor as he did what they all so desperately wanted to do themselves.

During Harry’s passionate display, Sam had made his way to Grizz’s side, hands gently placed round his boyfriends waist, doing his best to comfort him. Elle was next to move, holding her head high as she took her place next to Harry. Her eyes told Campbell one thing ‘you no longer own me’. Helena followed Elle’s example grabbing the blonde’s hand in support, knowing how difficult it was for her to stand up to Campbell. Before long the entire town was stood in front of Grizz, blocking him from Campbell’s view. A brief stare off ensued between Harry and Campbell neither wanting to be the first to back down.

Suddenly and with great confidence, Allie jumped between the boys, she needed to control this before it got violent, “It’s time you leave Campbell, this town is a team now and if you don’t want to be a part of that, fine. But you don’t get any of our rations, none of the new land, no say in the rules. Is that what you want?” The guard looked sceptical, wondering which side was the right one. A need for survival fuelled the three boys as they weighed their options… should they really back down? Could they continue living without the town? The simple answer was no. There was no way to survive alone in this weird new world. But for Campbell the answer wasn’t the same...


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aftermath...

You are either with us or against us, it’s a sentiment known well. Survival depends on either working as a team or being independent, but you can’t succeed trying to balance the two. Anyone with some common sense knew this, so it’s no surprise that certain members of Guard were confused about where their allegiance should lie. Jason and Clark lived up to the stereotype of the ‘bonehead jock’ and they really weren’t helping their case when it came to making this very important decision. Luke, on the other hand, clearly knew what the right thing to do was, yet he was holding back. Why? Because he knew he betrayed Allie and though she had drawn a line and moved on, he hadn’t. Guilt was something Luke had become well acquainted with in the last few weeks and if he could go back in time, he would do everything differently. But that wasn’t possible, there was only one thing he could do…

“Okay. I’m with you, Allie. I trust you.” The statement was short but meaningful and the other two former football players followed swiftly after him, rejoining New Ham. People were still wary of the boys as they moved away from Campbell. No one looked them in the eye. It seemed all trust the public had in the Guard was gone and it definitely wasn’t going to be easy regaining it. For now, the focus switched towards the last man standing. Campbell had to decide.

The first thing he did was laugh, the kind of laugh you hear from movie villains.

“Ha! You are all idiots! Allie and her puppets might have you fooled, but not me. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. Dewey should have killed both Pressmans, it would make this world a hell of a lot better. This town is gonna burn to the ground with these losers in charge and I can’t wait to watch it happen.”

“If this town burns, you would probably be the one setting the fire, asshole!” Gwen yelled, growing frustrated with Campbell’s ominous warnings and threats.

“I guess you’re right. I would enjoy watching Grizz burn alive…”

For what felt like hours but was actually seconds, the entire town froze. They couldn’t believe the words that had left Campbell’s mouth and, if looks could kill, he would no longer be breathing. He had made a fatal mistake. Outing Grizz was bad enough but threatening his life, that was the final straw. Allie wasn’t going to stand for this. “Guard! Arrest Campbell”, she didn’t take pleasure in punishing people but seeing Campbell in handcuffs was something truly beautiful. 

* * *

It had been three days since the town meeting. Three days since Grizz had been publicly outed and threatened by Campbell. Three days since the town began to slowly repair the cracks. People were working harder than before, trying to prove themselves as dedicated to group survival. A trial had been set for Campbell, who had chosen to defend himself and people were excited to see him get what he finally deserved. The evidence was stacked against him. Not only had he publicly threatened someone’s life, but Elle and Sam both agreed to testify against him. Even the Guard had turned on the older Eliot brother, admitting to their involvement in overthrowing Allie.

Meanwhile, Grizz had spent the entirety of those three days in bed and his friends were worried. Not a single word had left his mouth, his eyes had lost their sparkle. He was all out of tears but that hadn’t stopped the hurt he felt deep inside. Coming out was something he had been afraid of his entire life, he wanted to be the one in control when it finally happened and someone took that away from him. He felt broken and alone.

Everyone tried to get the young man out of bed but nothing had worked so far. Sam spent every free moment he had holding his boyfriend through the tears, calming him as best he could. Allie sat on the edge of Grizz’s bed every evening, talking to him about how well things were going, that the town was thriving once again. Kelly had tried talking about the wonders of childbirth (though that may have backfired a bit and caused the boy even more stress). Even the guard had attempted to revive the old Grizz, making amends in anyway they could. But still he was depressed and no one knew what to do. Word quickly got around about the boy’s condition and had made it’s way to one person in particular… Becca.

While everyone was at work, Becca brought Eden to see the young man. She slowly mounted the stairs and walked toward the room with the closed door. Knocking lightly to announce her presence, Becca entered nervously, unsure what state Grizz was in. What she saw broke her heart. He was curled in on himself, visibly distraught as he stared at the blank wall. Her shattered even more as she took in the situation. Her new motherly instincts kicked in instantly. She gently laid Eden down on the duvet and perched herself on the bed. Doing as her mother used to do in times of stress, Becca lightly ran her fingers through Grizz’s messy hair, hoping not to disturb or hurt him in the process.

Grizz didn’t know who was in his room. So many people had been in and out that he gave up trying to decipher who his guests were anymore. Whoever this was could stay. The way the unknown individual ran their fingers through his hair relaxed him greatly. For a few seconds, his problems melted away. He didn’t turn over until he heard the sounds of a baby cooing. To his surprise, Becca was smiling sadly at him with Eden sleeping soundly at her side.

“Hey Grizz, I think we need to talk…” she whispered as his empty eyes looked into her’s. “I’m so sorry for everything. You and Sam deserve so much better, I was just scared of being alone. I panicked and thought you were going to take my best friend away from me, but I was wrong. He loves you, I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. And I know you love him too. Just because he has you, doesn’t mean he won’t care for me and Eden anymore. I know that now. Please, Grizz, I know these last few days have been difficult, I just want to know how to help.”

“I… uhh” Grizz stuttered as he attempted to speak, throat dry from days of not talking. Sitting up lazily, he tried to use it voice again, “Im sorry too, Becca. I wish you hadn’t found out the way you did. If it makes you feel any better, I’m scared too. I don’t wanna be alone... but at the same time I can’t bring myself to face anyone. After everything that’s happened, I just… I don’t know how to be me anymore. It’s like everyone’s watching me, trying to figure out who I really am.” He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself before he continued, “the only thing I do know is that I love Sam and I promise you I don’t want to hurt him or you.” Tears were, once again, streaming down his face as his finally told Becca his truth.

“We can be one seriously fucked up happy family” she joked, trying to ease the tension, both of them silently crying, “Our kids can be besties!” For the first time in days, Grizz laughed feeling the weight leave his shoulders, moving his hand over his belly, imagining his unborn child playing happily with Eden.

The two new friends, talked for hours. Becca gave Grizz advice for dealing with his pregnancy and Grizz told her all about the land he had found. They continued getting to know one another until Eden began to grow restless. It was time for Becca to go home but she needed Grizz to know one more thing before she did “the entire town accepts you, Grizz. Campbell won’t be able to hurt you, everyone’s behind you. Don’t forget that.”

Again, Grizz was alone with his thoughts, feeling more alive than he had in days. Things were looking up and maybe he could make it through this. Tomorrow was going to be difficult, Campbell’s trial was scheduled for 8am. But he had Sam, he had Becca and Eden, he had his baby. Becca was right, Campbell could no longer hurt him.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it’s been so long. I hope you enjoy it xxx

“How are you feeling” Sam asked, caressing Grizz’s hair as they lay together.  
“Exhausted…” Grizz mumbled back, melting into his boyfriend’s soft touch. It was no surprise that both boys could barely keep their eyes open, the day had been long and unrelenting. Campbell had been put on trial and, in front of the entire town, Grizz and Sam had to testify to the danger posed by the Eliot sibling. They were torn apart and ridiculed by Campbell himself as he acted as his own lawyer. No stone was left unturned by both the prosecution and the defence. Sam still couldn’t believe that the truth was finally out there. His secrets no longer belonged to him, but he didn’t regret it. He spoke the truth. _I did the right thing_ , he tried to reassure himself clutching the boy he loved tightly as he relived his statement to the town...

* * *

_Earlier_

“My brother… he isn’t like us. He’s manipulative and explosive. He has no remorse or regard for others. His anger is uncontrollable. I’ve been on the receiving end of his exploitation my entire life, my parents did what they could but he quickly learned how to control them too. He took over this town by lying to every single one of you. There were only two things he thought about when taking control here… power and chaos. I can’t sit back and allow him to keep on hurting people. I’ve never wanted to treat him differently but our sitituation has made me rethink. There are no laws here, no trained police officers to lock him away and keep us safe. He will get in the way of us creating a society that we can be proud of, a society that functions. He’s my brother but being family doesn’t mean I have to ignore or defend his behaviour. We can’t trust him. Please… I'm asking you to believe me, trust that I know how bad this could get. We have to lock him away. If you let him go, there’s no guarantee any of us will survive for much longer…”

* * *

_Present_

It was incredibly tough for Sam to open up to a room full of his peers. Would they look at him differently if they knew the trauma Campbell had caused in his life? Would they judge him for not speaking up sooner? Would they even believe him? The only thing that got him through his deposition was knowing he had someone to fall back on.

Grizz knew how scared Sam was. He knew because he felt it too. Campbell had publicly threatened the football player’s life and though it appeared to be just a threat, both Grizz and Sam knew it had the potential to be a promise.

For Grizz, his turn on the stand was less about past secrets and more about clarifying truths. Everyone knew what Campbell had done to him, luring him to the church, holding him captive and then outing him to the entire town. All Grizz had to do was confirm what had happened. Yet he still was overwhelmed by fear. Everyone could see the way his body had shook, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with anyone but Sam. Seeing someone so strong, suddenly so afraid appeared to be all the jury needed to prosecute Campbell. But Grizz wasn’t the final person to testify.

What shocked the residents of New Ham the most was undoubtedly the statement given by Elle. Her words solidified Campbell’s fate while simultaneously causing the feeling of guilt to erupt from those who knew what Campbell had been capable of. _How could they have left her in his grasp?_ Elle’s strength and determination was inspiring. Her voice wavered and her eyes were drowning, yet she wouldn’t allow the pain to stop her. The entire church hall was on the brink of tears as she spoke. It was something none of them would ever forget...

* * *

_Earlier_

“I’m fucking terrified of him. One night, I took a bath and he… he tried to drown me. From that moment on I did whatever he asked, whenever he asked. He kept me away from everyone, made me feel so alone… I never want to feel like that again. I was so desperate to get away from him that I believed killing him would be my only escape. So… I uhm… I baked a pie and I poisoned it. But he changed his mind last minute and allowed me to come to the thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t want anyone to eat it… I tried hard to get rid of it before anyone got hurt but he wouldn’t let me out of his sight. So once I finally got to the pie and realised it was half gone… I tried to finish it. I’m not sure what mattered more in that moment… stopping others from eating what was left or making sure Campbell couldn’t hurt me again. I knew it could kill me, eating so much of that pie but I didn’t feel like I had a choice. Please believe me when I say I never wanted any of you to get hurt, I just needed to be free of him. I told Allie the truth, begged her to lock me up. But she refused, instead she told you all I was arrested while allowing me to stay in her home to keep me safe from Campbell. She tried to help me when I didn’t think I deserved redemption. Campbell has been trying to convince all of you that she’s selfish and unfit to lead us but that’s just another example of his manipulation and greed. If I am charged for what I did at thanksgiving, I will accept whatever punishment I am given be it imprisonment or execution. Knowing that telling the truth stopped Campbell will make accepting my fate painless. The potential of being killed in order to prevent him from hurting anyone else is the easiest choice I have ever made.”

Campbell Eliot was sentenced to death later that afternoon.

* * *

_Present_

Grizz and Sam held each other tight as they awaited confirmation that the punishment had been carried out. They needed a distraction, something to tear their minds away from the thought of the ongoing execution. Thankfully, Becca was about to provide them with the perfect distraction.

“Hey guys. So I’m going to hang out with Kelly for a bit so you two are on babysitting duty! Have fun!” She smiled quickly at the pair as she placed Eden in Sam’s arms, then left without further explanation. Sam stared lovingly into the infants eyes, once again amazed at how such a tiny human can be so captivating. “I hope our baby has your eyes” he gently spoke, turning towards his lover. The couple beamed at each other as Eden babbled quietly, imagining what their child will look like. The future was beginning to brighten for the pair and no matter what came their way they would give their family the best possible life. No one could hurt them anymore.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the light was slowly disappearing as Luke, Jason and Clarke lifted their weapons. Allie and Helena stood to the side, breath held and eyes towards the ground. Campbell Eliot was tied to the same chair that once held Dewey, waiting for death. The difference between the two men that had been sentenced to death was blindingly clear. While Dewey had cried for help and forgiveness, Campbell screamed in anger, furious at the Guard, his brother and Grizz. He promised revenge, claimed he would haunt them forever. But his words didn’t scare the teens that surrounded him. What eventually sent chills deep through them was the sudden silence that followed the sound of bullets leaving guns. No one spoke. No one moved. No one breathed. Campbell Eliot was dead.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think in the comments 😘


End file.
